The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-11-03
RANCH LIFE FOR GIRLS.
They Amuse Themselves by shootin
Wolves aud Other Animals.

AHcy Amuse themselves Dy SnOOCinS
Wolves aud Other Animals.
so, yes, 1 was a cowboy for four
years." said Mr.. A. B. Thomas. son OF
Paymastar Thomas, of the Detroit,
Grand Haven & Milwaukee railroad.
Il went out there to look around. /
was just eighteen, and had great
fancy for Western frontier life. When
l reached Northwestern Kansas, be-
tween the Solomon and Republican
rivers, happened to get on the trail of
herd of stock, and was invited 10
join the herders. l did so, and for
three or four days was the sorest
youngSter that ever straddled a horse.
You see, they just live in the saddle,
and was tenderfoot, or Il pork and
beans pilgrim, as they called Eastern
boys. But l soon learned to handle a
revolver like the rest of them. Every
body carries q revolver. OGe needs to
defend himself from the wild stock,
and also to defend the stock against
wolves. Any wolves? Well, should
say so-both the big gray wolf and the
coyotes, which are prairie wolves,
small but sneaky.
1T isn't always the pleasantest thing
to take a hand in with Il wolf Tie
first time, L own up, l was a little
scared. 1t happened this way-I was
with Cleveland girl-by the way. the
nerviest girl lever saw. She had been
l1tf ,rl,
and had learned to use revolver. We
were on the prairie when we saw two
big grayS standing in the trail. Quick
as chain lightning she drew her revol-
yer from her belt and fired, The ball
struck Mr.. Wolf in the head, killing
him instantly. She was the least bit
frightened, but looked ut it in the COOL
est way, and said in the most-matter-
of-fact voice possible: ''Well, that was
4 good shot, wasn't it,? We got off our
horses. skinned the animal, and took
the hide home for Il trophy. She has it
now, presume. What became of the
other? o, killed him. but l emptied
several barrels and riddled the skin so
it was good for nothing.
Il also saw this lady in q roundup.
What's that? Well, it's when all the
herders or cowboys get together and
work up to q common centre. fencing
in all the wild animals running loose
within a certain radius. After they are
all in--perhaps thirty or forty grays,
seventy-eight or one hundred coyotes
then the fun commences, riding
to the center. firing and killing
the animals. The round-ups brings
in all the boys from all sections
around somewhere from three hun
dred to four hundred. and you may
believe there is some lively firing.
Well, as I said, this young lady
and friend of hers joined in one OF
these round ups. They were the only
ladies in the run, and were in charge of
the boys of our ranch. No more respect
could be shown to them if they had
been queens. Every cowboy felt they
were especially in his care, and they
were watched and yet allowed to shoot
to their hearts content, and they did
shoot in great shape. One came out
with seven gray wolf scalps and six
coyotes, and the other, four grays and
ten coyotes and Il polecat. There is a
bounty on wolf scalps-twenty-fve
cents for coyotes and seventy-five cents
or one dollar for grays-so the girls
did pretty well.
WHO were the girlsP Well, l
wouldn't like TO give their names.
They are daughters of wealthy Cleve-
land gentlemen, prominent merchants,
and they might object. You see, peo-
pie of the North know little of the cow
boys OF Kansas. They think they are a
lot of low-lived fellows, always ready
to shoot and scalp someone, whereas
they are a gentlemanly class of boys.
Many Of them are just from college.
They study themselves i'll, and go West
to recuperate for health. They get it,
too. for they live in the saddle. become
expert shots. and enter with zest into
all outdoor pursuits that one here can
not understand. l hope to 90 back
soon, to see the boys, and go over the
old stamping ground. l only came
back, as the boys say. to take a slice of
high life. '-DotrOt Tribune.